Wassermann Reaction

Wassermann Reaction - previously this reaction was widely used to diagnose syphilis. In this case, a sample of the patient’s blood is taken for analysis; in the process of its study, the complement fixation reaction is used, which makes it possible to detect the presence in the blood of antibodies to the pathogen of the Treponema pallidum species. A positive reaction (WR+) indicates the presence of such antibodies in the body and, therefore, that the person has syphilis.

The Wasserman reaction (also known as the Wasserstein reaction or Wasserman reaction) is a laboratory test that was developed in the 1940s by German physician Paul Ehrlich and his colleagues to diagnose syphilis, an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum.

The principle of the Wasserman reaction is based on the detection of antibodies to antigens of the bacterium Treponema pallidum in the patient's blood serum. To carry out the analysis, a special test system is used in which bacterial antigens are pre-fixed on the surface of glass or plastic. The patient's blood sample is then mixed with the antigen and tested for specific antibodies.

If a patient has antibodies to Treponema pallidum antigens, this indicates that he may be infected with syphilis and needs treatment. However, it should be noted that the Wasserman reaction is not the only method for diagnosing syphilis and can give false-positive results for other diseases or conditions. Therefore, to accurately diagnose syphilis, it is necessary to use an integrated approach, including not only a blood test, but also other research methods.

Everyone knows the 3 main symptoms of syphilis infection: the asymptomatic course of the disease, the body’s secretion of so-called “ichors” and the occurrence of a genital ulcer. Treatment includes antibacterial therapy with drugs from the penicillin group, namely benzathine benzylpenicillin or novocaine salt - Mercazole.

The Wassermans or Wasserman-Feagley reaction is one of the methods for diagnosing sexually transmitted infections. This reaction is still used in practice in medicine, despite the fact that thanks to modern methods of accurate testing for syphilis in the form of ELISA, RSK, liquefaction enzyme, PCR and blood, there is a more reliable method for diagnosing sexually transmitted diseases. It is also quite effective, but becomes positive two weeks after the first symptoms of the disease appear in the patient. At this time, antigens have already been produced in sufficient quantities.

Thus, the Wasserman reaction is used more as information in the initial stages of diagnosing a syphilitic disease, although with development, sexually transmitted diseases can lead to damage to the nervous system, internal organs, bone deformation, and a general decrease in immunity